Series One

Episode 2: The story so far… ( story of miscarriage)

Sharing a story of miscarriage through drama. Based on real-life blogs, diary notes and memories written during pregnancy and loss in the first 12 weeks.

There is some bad language and for some, there may be triggers.

Click here for help and support.

Cast:

• Rachael: Emily Jane Brooks
• Lee: Philip Kingsley Elton
• Vanessa: Loretta Hope
• Luke: Oraine Johnson
• The walk-in centre nurse: Alexander Doddy
• The clinic nurse: Olivia Finch
• The EPU nurse: Lynne Payne
• The Midwife: Dawn Butler

Click here for full cast bios

Production:

• Music composed and performed by Joe Chris: www.joechrismusic.com
• Featured music: www.purple-planet.com
• The theme song is Small Bump by Ed Sheeran

With thanks to: Lee, Vici Edwards, Kim Greengrass and Kirtan Bhachu.

The drama was recorded remotely in the Midlands, UK, due to coronavirus social distancing in 2020. Funding for this episode was kindly granted by the Coventry City of Culture Trust.

Written, produced and edited by Rachael Smith. Click here for press pack

Episode 03: What happened next – Tommy’s and tests

After my miscarriages, I visit Coventry University Hospital to under-go tests with Professor Jan Brosens and talk to Professor Siobhan Quenby from the Tommy’s Miscarriage Research centre.

For some, there may be triggers. Click here for help and support.

• The theme song is Small Bump by Ed Sheeran

Hosted, produced and edited by Rachael Smith.

EP04: Miscarriage? You are not alone

Exploring the community surrounding miscarriage. What is around; who are the experts and what are they doing?

Featuring: Jennie Agg from The Uterus Monologues (3:42), Nicola from @Miscarriage_Afterlife (13:43), Ruth Bender-Atik from the The Miscarriage Association (19:40) and Christine McDonough from Infertility Illustrated (22:05).

There is some bad language and for some, there may be triggers. Click here for help and support.

• The theme song is Small Bump by Ed Sheeran

Hosted, produced and edited by Rachael Smith.

Episode 05: Miscarriage taboo

This is an episode about the taboo surrounding miscarriage and why there even needs to be one. What is really going on here?

Professor Quenby from Tommy’s Miscarriage Research centre (00:15), Jennie Agg from The Uterus Monologues (1:43), Ruth Bender-Atik, Director of The Miscarriage Association (3:36), Alison Ingleby from the Footprints On Our Hearts podcast (06:42), Nicola from @Miscarriage_Afterlife (20:18) and Jessica Brotherton (22:08).

Instagram posts are read by actors: Blythe Renay; Claire Wescott and Margaret Ashley.

There is some bad language and for some, there may be triggers. Click here for help and support.

• Featured music: www.purple-planet.com
• The theme song is Small Bump by Ed Sheeran

Hosted, produced and edited by Rachael Smith.

EP06: Hope after miscarriage

I am joined by Erica M. McAfee from the Sisters in Loss podcast and I talk with Liberty’s Mother, singer-songwriter Sophie Daniels, exploring healing and hope following miscarriage and babyloss.

For some there may be triggers. Click here for help and support.

Click here to hear more from the Sisters in Loss podcast.

Click here to listen to and download “I Can Love You From Here” by Liberty’s Mother.

• Featured music: I Can Love You From Here by Liberty’s Mother
• The theme song is Small Bump by Ed Sheeran

Hosted, produced and edited by Rachael Smith.

EP07: Going full term after miscarriage

I explore what it feels like to go full term after miscarriage with ‘Anjali Patel’ (not her real name) (1:38) and I catch up with Jennie Agg, from The Uterus Monologues, (17:56) following on from our chat in EP04 and the birth of her son.

For some there may be triggers. Click here for help and support.

Thanks to The Miscarriage Association for their support with this episode.

The music is Small Bump by Ed Sheeran

Hosted, produced and edited by Rachael Smith.

On social @TryingAgainPod.

EP08: Miscarriage and our bodies

What happens to our bodies when we go through a miscarriage? I chat with Julia Bueno, psychotherapist and author of the book The Brink Of Being and Kate Marsh, Midwifery manager at Tommy’s.

What’s discussed:

• When should I worry? (02:44)
• How to cope with the changes? (04:18)
• How can I get help if I am not sure what’s wrong? (07:03)
• How do you support a family or friend through miscarriage? (12:48)
• How much blood is too much blood? (18:16)
• What colour blood is a miscarriage? (19:58)
• What happens to breast milk after miscarriage? (22:00)
• How do you get your figure back to pre-pregnancy? (25:10)
• When can you have sex after miscarriage? (27:42)
• When would you know a miscarriage is complete? (31:24)

For some there may be triggers. Click here for help and support

The music is Small Bump by Ed Sheeran

Hosted, produced and edited by Rachael Smith.

On social @TryingAgainPod.

EP09: Miscarriage and our mental health

This episode discusses some of the mental health issues triggered by miscarriage.

I am joined by Professor Arri Coomarasamy, Director of the Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research (03:24) Rev. Joy Van Staalduinen from the Love and Loss podcast (10:12) and Nicola from @Miscarriage_Afterlife (22:13).

The episode features clips from the Channel 5 documentary Miscarriage: Our Story with thoughts from Izzy Judd (33:55); Anna Whitehouse (34:56); Lacey Turner (36:26) and Jane Danson (37:05).

There may be triggers with the topics discussed including PTSD; depression; anxiety and self-harm.  Click here for help and support

• Featured music: www.purple-planet.com
• The theme song is Small Bump by Ed Sheeran
• Miscarriage: Our Story aired on Channel 5 on the 15 October 2020 and was an ITV Studios production for Channel 5. At the time of release for this episode, the documentary is available on Channel 5’s streaming service, My5.tv

Hosted, produced and edited by Rachael Smith. On social @TryingAgainPod.

EP10: Men and miscarriage

Lee explores how miscarriage affects men. Sharing stories of a father’s loss.

Featuring Professor Arri Coomarasamy, Director of the Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research (01:31) and sharing stories from Mike, who has experienced multiple miscarriages and went to Tommy’s for clinical trials (03:40) and Simon from @The_Faulty_Father, who discusses what it was like to go through a miscarriage during lockdown (19:50).

For some, there may be triggers. Click here for help and support.

Thanks to Tommy’s for their support with this episode.

• The theme song is Small Bump by Ed Sheeran

Hosted by Lee and Rachael.

Produced and edited by Rachael Smith.

On social @TryingAgainPod.

EP11: Couples and miscarriage

Looking at miscarriage from the couple’s perspective.

Featuring Professor Arri Coomarasamy, Director of the Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research (01:14) and sharing stories from: Justin and Ashley (07:33), Mike and Ellie (23:25), ‘Anjali Patel’ (31:32) and Katie and Ross (34:57).

The episode features clips from the Channel 5 documentary Miscarriage: Our Story with thoughts from Mother Pukka’s Anna Whitehouse and Matt Farquharson (05:13).

Thanks to the Miscarriage Association and Tommy’s for their support with this episode.

There is some bad language and for some, there may be triggers. Click here for help and support.

• The theme song is Small Bump by Ed Sheeran
• Miscarriage: Our Story aired on Channel 5 on the 15 October 2020 and was an ITV Studios production for Channel 5. At the time of release for this episode, the documentary is available on Channel 5’s streaming service, My5.tv

Hosted, produced and edited by Rachael Smith.

On social @TryingAgainPod.

EP12: Mental health support and miscarriage

Exploring different ways of coping and mental health support following a miscarriage.

I am joined by therapists Julia Bueno and Laura (@LivingWithBabyloss); Lauren (@RecurrentMiscarriage_Writer) and Vicki Renz (Oh My Mama Body / Healing After Miscarriage).

Instagram posts are read by actors: Eleanor Lawson; Margaret Ashley; Blyhe Renay; Claire Wescott and Rachel Crosby.

For some, there may be triggers. Click here for help and support.

• The theme song is Small Bump by Ed Sheeran
• Featured music: www.purple-planet.com

Hosted, produced and edited by Rachael Smith.

Featured in Podcast Wellness Week by Podbean.

On social @TryingAgainPod.

EP13: Guided meditation for miscarriage

This is a special guided meditation by Vicki Renz from Oh My Mamma Body.

With relaxing music; guided visualisations and affirmations of positivity for women following miscarriage.

For some there may be triggers. There’s links to help available and to more guided meditation on the help and support page.

• Theme music is by Joe Chris.
• Featured music: purple-planet.com

Presented by Vicki Renz. Produced and edited by Rachael Smith.

On social @TryingAgainPod.

Featured in Podcast Wellness Week by Podbean.

EP14: Trying Again Podcast reflection (S1)

In this episode I reflect on the series so-far and I take a pause on weekly podcasts ahead of series two.

Featuring clips from some of my guests in the series so far:

• Ruth Bender-Atik, Director of The Miscarriage Association;
• Jennie Agg from The Uterus Monologues;
• Christine McDonough from Infertility Illustrated;
• Mike;
• Nicola from @Miscarriage_Afterlife;
• Erica M. McAfee from Sisters in Loss podcast;
• Ross;
• ‘Anjali Patel’;
• Simon from @The_Faulty_Father;
• Ashley;
• Professor Arri Coomarasamy, Director of the  Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research;
• Julia Bueno, Therapist and author of the book The Brink Of Being;
• Professor Siobhan Quenby, Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research;
• Kate Marsh; Midwifery manager at Tommy’s;

and a clip from the audio drama EP02 The story so far… (a story of miscarriage) featuring Emily Jane Brooks.

For some, there may be triggers. There’s links to help available and to a listener survey here.

• Music is by Joe Chris
• The theme song is Small Bump by Ed Sheeran

Hosted, produced and edited by Rachael Smith.

On social @TryingAgainPod.